cloud yeshivah
  • Home
  • Torah
    • Bereshit Archive >
      • Parashat Bereishit
      • Parashat Noach
      • Parashat Lech Lecha
      • Parashat Vayerah
      • Parashat Toldot
      • Parashat Chaya Sarah
      • Parashat Vayetzeh
      • Parashat Viyshlach
      • Parashat Vayeshev
      • Parashat Miketz
      • Parashat Viygash
      • Parashat Viyachi
    • Shemot Archive >
      • Parashat Shemot
      • Parashat Vaera
      • Parashat Bo
      • Parashat Beshalach
      • Parashat Yitro
      • Parashat Mishpatim
      • Parashat Terumah
      • Parashat Titzaveh
      • Parashat Ki Tisa
      • Parashat Vayakel & Pekudei
    • Vayikra Archive >
      • Parashat Vayikra
      • Parashat Tzav
      • Parashat Shemini >
        • Shemini- metaphysics of Kosher
      • Parashat Tazria Metzora
      • Parashat Acharei Mot
      • Parashat Kedoshim
      • Parashat Emor
      • Parashat Behar
      • Parashat Bechukotai
    • Bamidbar Archive >
      • Parashat Bamidbar
      • Parashat Naso
      • Bahalotcha
      • Parashat Shlach
      • Parashat Korach
      • Parashat Chukat
      • Parashat Balak
      • Pinchas
      • Matos/Massey
    • Devarim Archive >
      • Parashat Devarim
      • Parashat Veetchanan
      • Parashat Eikev
      • Parashat Reeh
      • Parashat Shoftim
      • Parashat Ki Tetzeh
      • Parashat Ki Tavo
      • Parashat Nitzvaim
      • Parashat Haazinu
    • Holidays
    • God @ the Movies
  • Games
  • About
  • Subscribe

Chukat 

6/13/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
Misplaced sympathy, when history is a mystery

In this week’s parshah, the Jews engage in diplomacy and ask Sichon the King of the Amorites for safe passage through his land. He refuses, gathers his army to destroy the Jews and ends up being conquered.

There is a parallel story in Judges, this week’s Haftorah section.  A few hundred years after our parshah, the Judge Yiftach again engages in diplomacy and asks the Amorites for peaceful coexistence. The Amorites respond by accusing the Jews of taking the land away from them hundreds of years earlier (this week’s parshah).

Only a few hundred years after the initial altercation with the Amorites, do they attempt to distort history and accuse the Jewish people of instigating the fight. The contemporary parallel story  is the Six-Day War.

This month is the anniversary of a modern day miracle.

Surrounded on all sides and facing annihilation, Israel was heavily outnumbered and outgunned. By the end of the week Israel had tripled the size of its borders. This was the Six-Day War.  

In this week’s parshah the Jews engaged in diplomacy and then are attacked by a bordering nation who they then conquer in a fight for survival. Then several year’s later are accused of taking the land away from this nation. What happened in this week’s parshah and haftorah is an exact parallel of what happened in the Six -Day War. 

The lesson from this weeks parshah is to be aware of our peoples history. In every generation the Jews are portrayed to be the villain and the aggressor, when in truth we only want to live peacefully. We must be aware of our political heritage and never be apologetic about our right to exist. 



1 Comment
Dennis Kass
6/14/2013 04:10:41 am

Dan,

You are right on as you always are. You have very clear vision and I am honored to have you as a friend and spiritual brother.

This brings up two questions: Why is Israel so disliked and disrespected when this tiny little nation has the courage and strength of the Lion of Judah.

When the Tsnuami hit in the Far East a few years ago, Israeli crisis teams were first on the scene to help and initially were refused. like Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, David Byrne and Brian Eno hate Israeli and should not be playing politics that they know nothing about. Sad to say that musicians who have produced good music are so misguided by their anti-Semitism.
PRO-ISRAEL: Paul McCartney, Morrissey and John (Rotten) Lydon
(I guess Johnny's not so rotten any more!)

What is of most concern is how many of our congregation is wandering out there. We almost never get a minyan, and the congregation we share minyan with is worse. I now attend an Orthodox minyan several times a week because it is what Jewish men should be doing.

Regardless, I will sing my heart out tomorrow a good example of reaching for greater heights simply by praying. Torah energy is positive energy and I will do my best.

Have a Great Shabbos,

Dennis ,

Rock stars

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    June 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Lawrie Cate